


If You Give a Troll a Sister

by Souls_before_stories



Category: Tales of Arcadia (Cartoons)
Genre: As will characters since those three are the main cast in the two chapters im about to post, Canon Divergent, Found Family, Redemption AU, This would've been posted later but there's a bet i want to win, Warnings will eventually be updated, Woops, goes with some of side books canon but only bits an pieces, if thats not ur thing thats fine, shouldve added that the first go round, this is a familial f/o fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-21 21:40:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30028224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Souls_before_stories/pseuds/Souls_before_stories
Summary: summary? hmmm lets just say i like found family with big scary monster? does that work?
Relationships: Bular (Tales of Arcadia) & original character(s), Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	1. Waiting, waiting, waiting

**Author's Note:**

> sorry this chapters so short, its just introductory + im posting it because stix-n-bread is being cursed <3 /lh stix ily

Waiting. Her whole life had been waiting. Waiting for Stricklander to finish his day job for help with her online work, waiting for the mess hall to empty so she could grab food, and currently, waiting for the Janus Order main elevator to open. 

Like all previous waiting, it was painful. Especially with the thunking sounds of Bular the vicious echoing in the nearby corridors. Shit. ‘Please hurry’ she thought as they grew closer and closer. While she’d seen the brute from afar many times, and had never been the receiver of his rage, that didn't stop the unease in her mind. He did after all eat people. Humans precisely, and she was very much human. 

Mercifully, a ding sounded right as he arrived anywhere close to Madeline and she ducked in, slamming her hand to the close door button. Whatever his thoughts were, went unsaid as he gave a dismissive look of confusion towards the closing panels of metal. 

Sighing in relief, Madeline adjusted her worn duffel bag, and pranced out calmly when the doors reached the ground floor of Janus Travel arcadian branch. Waving goodbye to the desk receptionist, she carried out her evening walk to the bus stop. Catching the last city bus to the nearby forested area, she walked her way to the scenic ledge just as darkness claimed the sky and stars began to freckle its expanse.

There was no waiting here, only a calm sky. But like all calm, a storm was always right behind it. 

… 

Kanjigar did not know why Bular was heading for the woods. Normally he lurked about side streets at this hour, hoping to catch a stray fleshbag on their way home from work. Tonight however, as the Trollhunter quietly surveilled his target, Bular was idly heading for the darkened woods, which most humans avoid even in broad daylight.

As he continued to stalk the dark prince, his horrific intentions became clearer. A lone girl sat on the bench facing away from the danger approaching.  
Oddly, he didn't continue to approach after he reached the treeline. 

When Kanjigar was sure that he’d intended to stay put, he let his attention fall to the girl. Sitting up, she pulled a case out of her cloth bag, and opened it up to a well loved fiddle. She drew her bow, and began a merry tune that humans would recognize and call  
Bular’s true intent seemed to be to listen to her play, as she continued the rest of the song, unaware. All pleasant things, however sweet and tender, end. And that night when Madeline turned slightly too far behind her, and saw the glowing yellow eyes of the gumm-gumm prince, any rational response left her body. 

Normally, you see something dangerous, you run. The girl couldn’t seem to. Her feet glued to the grass and her hands twitching with anticipation. Awaiting anything to happen.

Kanjigar wasn't going to wait. Abandoning his position he charged, ramming into the black as night troll. Giving the human enough push to gather her things hastily, and run for safety.


	2. First Encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this isnt my strongest writing i promise it gets better lmao

Her whole life had been waiting. But now it was hiding. She rarely left her room, turning to study guides and online friends assistance in homework. She made a beeline from the mess hall and back grabbing food mechanically and eating quickly, then leaving. And she hadn’t touched her fiddle in a while. 

Bular had always unnerved her. Something about the man-eating, ember eyed, coal-black troll whose tribe's title meant bringer of death just didn't vibe with her. Figures. But he’d encountered the one part of life she had outside of this white hallwayed hellscape she’d grown up in. Fiddle playing. 

Everybody else thought she just kept it as a keepsake from the past, a remnant of what could’ve been for her. But in the dark of night, with trial and error and error again, she learned to play. It was her world, and she thought she lived in it peacefully alone. She loved playing the fiddle, on that outcrop of rock, 

Agh whatever she’d get over it. Right? Well, not if fate had anything to say about it. On one of her erratic trips to get breakfast, she found the mess hell near deserted, one occupant apparent in its walls.

“Don’t run” 

“Why shouldn't I?” 

A small chuckle came from Bular. “You make a fair point, fleshbag. I have no intention to harm you” .  
“Yeah that's believable,” she muttered sarcastically under her breath, flinching when Bular heard it, and again chuckled.   
“I merely wish to know why you stopped playing”   
How did he not know? Well, to be completely fair, she was likely the only musician he listened to by choice, when it wasn't nomura's classical tracks playing at the museum.

“Will my answer make you mad?” Honestly, she knew it was a stupid question, but better to brace herself for all responses than run her mouth and get in trouble. 

“For your sake i hope not” He bristled his stance, expecting some cocky impotence 

“You scared me, and now i don’t want to go outside anymore” 

“Why were you so scared, surely I’m no stranger to you” Despite never having formally spoken to the child, he’d never felt notably anything towards her, and had left her alone like Strickler requested. But even then, they had their encounters, and were at most, aware of the others' existence.

“Most people you stalk late at night, don't come back do they?“

Getting on all fours and leaning in close to her face, “Do you think I would be so foolish as to attack a human Stricklander has deemed ‘off limits’” 

Eyes scrunched close and looking to the side, she made a quick nod. Why wouldn’t he? He never listened to Stricklander, when would he ever. 

Three times. In their first and only conversation, Madeline had managed to make Bular the vicious, son of gunmar, laugh three separate times. 

“You’re an odd one, fleshbag” 

“Yep,” She said, instinctively doing finger guns, and inching slowly towards the exit. 

That night, she took her fiddle out to the overhang again, and this time, she didn’t care who was listening, music was made for sharing, and Bular supposedly enjoyed it, so why the hell not? 

The notes had a particular melancholy in them that night, the lone strings finally finding an audience and company for their notes.   
Despite her assumption that Bular was once again listening from the treeline, the dark prince was actually located at the canals, with Stricklander.


	3. Punks Paintings and Passageways

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> :) thats all . also this is where the book canon comes in. where bular paints the walls of the abandoned vespa warehouse.

She could put up with the smell, with the distant skitters of rat feet, and the occasional raccoon, but goddamnit the shading on this art would be the death of her. 

Redoing her bandana tighter to block out the sewers funk, Lin took a deep breath, and kept painting. Listening to a playlist with more songs from the madagascar movie soundtracks than she’d admit, she admired her work. 

Sewer mural art had been a habit of hers, growing up living in a sheltered secret organization of changeling spies makes underground comforting. But it was also a prison. The white lights in every hallway, the constant clack of high heels on the other side of her door, she needed a break. 

Surprisingly, the sewer offered a solution to all of these issues, so living became less stifling to the young teen. Of course she knew it was illegal, public vandalism, so might as well make it pretty. 

The mural of a portrait of a woman stared back at her from cheap acrylic on the walls.   
She was pretty, but lacked depth. Lin dug through her duffel bag of paints, looking for the right colour to transform the painting. The puddles next to it shook with the tremors of footsteps. Oh no. Shutting off the music to hear better, she took one quick look around her. It couldn’t be Strickler, he’d never willingly venture here, and his feet were too small to shake the whole tunnel like that. 

Messily shoving her supplies in and zipping the bag up, she secured it over her shoulder and spun around to leave. Only to encounter Bular the Vicious blocking her path. 

Oh fuck. 

… 

This was not the first time the girl had disappeared. However, it was the first time Strickler noticed. Bular was the least bit offended when fingers were pointed at him, but it was far from true. She spent her whole time around impures, no doubt she tasted of them too. 

To accuse him was one thing, to send him to look for her was another incredulous, demeaning thing. 

It didn’t take long, Bular had seen her from a distance painting on the sewer walls before. He figured that’s where she was again. On his way around he passed various examples of her previous works, each a little younger and brighter the closer he got. 

He hated to stop an artist while they worked, but Stricklander would never let him hear the end of it unless he came back with her.   
… 

“I can explain,” She said, backing up out of fear. Her back met a wall and she froze. 

“Save it, Whelp. You have to go home.” He grumbled, turning around. “The impures are paranoid you’ve gone and died on them,” 

“Well I haven’t so you can tell ‘em to bug off,” She muttered under her breath, why now of all times did they care? 

“I heard that, runt.” He shouted over his shoulder. 

She gulped. Lin wouldn’t lie, Bular terrified her, and the last reasonable thing she’d do would be follow him down a dark sewer passageway. 

“The colour you’re looking for is purple,” Bular said, staring at the painting, still unfinished on the wall

“Huh?” 

“Use a reddish-purple to shade, and listen when I speak to you,” 

“Sorry,” she uttered, Shuffling her bag back to her shoulder, and pushing past him, walking back towards the Janus Order. 

Huffing a sigh, he spoke, “I’ll let you finish it before you go back,” 

She paused. “Really?” 

Bular nodded, and sat down next to the mural, guiding her on what portions needed changing, and how to use darker colours to make the portrait pop. While he was far from experienced on teaching art, Bular had spent enough of his own time with his warehouse murals to know what should go where, and how to bend those rules.  
The hours spent not worrying about the trollhunter, Stricklander, or his father was well worth the talking to the vulture-like changeling gave both of them upon returning at dawn the next day.


	4. A Change Of Pace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> heres where actual toa plot starts!! it gets canon divergent really soon, and i hope the chapters increase in quality as i get better at writing. Au revoir! :D

“Is this absolutely necessary?”   
Sulking to the Changelings height, Bular avoided eye contact with Stricklander, standing outside Lin’s door.

“If we want to have a connection to the Trollhunter’s inner circle, then Lin will be our best bet.” 

Rapping twice on the dark wood door, unmissable amongst the snake skeleton-like halls monochrome white colours, Strickler called to the teen. “Lin? I’d like to ask you something” 

The brunette opened the door, and seeing that particular pair standing together immediately went into defense. 

“I can explain what happened but you can’t get mad.” She said pointedly.   
In her defense, she didn’t think coyotes could run that fast, and throwing a book at it was all she could think of. Too bad it was one of Strickler’s favourites.   
“That’s not what this is about, runt.” 

“oh. “ Lin said realizing she’d confessed to something that would’ve otherwise been unnoticed. 

“Though we can certainly go through whatever you did later.” Strickler said glaring at both seemingly guilty parties. “Lin, how would you like to attend the high school I teach at?” 

“Like, in-person?” 

“For some of it, yes, you’d have history with me, and drama with my colleagues, but most other classes will remain online, and you can work on those in the library or during study periods” 

“And why are you offering this to me now?” While succeeding with her online programs, this hadn’t been the first discussion of her schooling situation Everytime she was shot down with ‘people are going to wonder where your parents are’ or ‘what happens if people want to visit your house’ now however it was “sure!” and that reeked of suspicion. Especially coming from the man who prided himself on keeping changeling kind a secret. 

“I think we agree you’d like more time outside the Janus Order, am I correct?”   
Oh he definitely wants something. Classic Stricklander, get someone to agree to your side, without telling them what your side even is.   
“Yeah, but I don’t see why school would be the solution” 

“Perhaps not to your problem, but it is a solution for me. There’s a student of mine willing to tour you tomorrow morning if you’re up for it, little Atalanta.”   
God that fucking nickname would be the death of her. 

As Strickler walked away, confident she would take the opportunity, Bular turned to the teenager, sulking against her door. 

“Why does he call you that?” 

“Cuz Atalanta was a greek hero raised by bears, and he likes to think he’s funny.”   
She muttered, it was better than the constant use of her full name, she could admit it. Nicknames usually meant you wer’ent in trouble.   
“I think Lin is better,” 

Offering a half-hearted smile, she bid him goodnight. Even though she clearly had a lot to think about, she crashed onto her bed immediately. Thinking only takes a minute when you leave it last-minute. 

… 

Why did she agree to this tour? Strickler had dropped her off in the courtyard after getting her a visitors pass, saying he’d be back with her ‘tour guide’ in a moment. Sitting down on a pleasantly old bench, chipped paint falling off and sticking to her socks she took in her surroundings. 

While definitely dated far before its 2010’s present day, it had a certain charm to it. The way students passing instinctively avoided the walking paths of teachers, and how efficiently the halls seemed to run, from afar at least. 

“Are you lost?” 

“Huh?” snapping back to what was in front of her, Lin saw a girl slightly older than her, with a small purple backpack, brown hair with a faded blue streak, and mismatched barrettes. Maybe this school would be a good fit. 

“Are you lost? I can help you find your class if you want” 

“Oh no you got the wrong idea, I’m visiting today, and Mr. Strickler just had to go get a student to show me around” 

“Well, in that case, welcome to Arcadia Oaks high, I’m Claire,” she said offering a hand. “Lin,” the shorter of the two said, accepting it. “So where are you from? You must’ve moved here pretty recently right?” 

‘Oh fuck what’s my cover story again’ Strickler had repeated it to her how many times over on the ride there, but she never could recall it from memory. 

“I’m a second cousin of Mr. Stricklers , I’m staying with him while my parents look for a house here.” 

“Oh! Well that’s cool! Hopefully that means I’ll see more of you then.” 

Someone called her away from afar. “Claire we gotta get to Calculus!” 

“I gotta run, but I hope i see you again, bye!” Claire waved without looking as she trotted over to her friend group. 

Lin offered a small wave in return. 

With perfect timing, almost as if it had been planned, Mr. Strickler came walking back to the bench he’d left Lin at with a student in tow. He was gangly, and didn’t seem to carry himself with much confidence. 

“Lin, this is Jim, one of my Sophomore students, he’s going to show you around the school today, stop by my classroom if you need any assistance” 

After giving him an awkward thumbs up, Jim stumbled through an introduction and the two made their way through the now eerily empty hallways of this high school. 

“I’ve only ever been homeschooled, so please don’t judge me for this, but are cafeterias real? I’ve never seen one before.” 

“Yeah and we’re just coming up to it now, my advice, pack your own lunch, their stuff is poisonous” 

“Duly noted oh wise and powerful tour guide.” She said putting on a joking air of awe and wonder. 

“A smart choice oh humble and benevolent tourist.” He quipped back, to his surprise. Maybe Toby’s obsession with Whose Line had given him some improv skill. 

“One thing I do want to see is the drama, class, or room? I love theatre but you can’t exactly do it alone.” 

“Drama happens in Ms. Janeths room, but school plays and stuff happen on the gym stage” 

“There’s school plays? Do you know what or when this year is ?” 

“I uhh, think it’s Romeo and Juliet, auditions are in a few days, you might be able to make it if you get registered.” 

Pumping her fist in the air, she said with extra pep in her voice “I’m sold, this tour can end right now, I want to go here.” 

Chuckling at her enthusiasm, Jim walked her to the final destination, the history classroom.   
The class was in the midst of doing worksheets, so Strickler had time to briefly talk with the two. 

“I take it that everything went well?”   
Receiving awkward nods of confirmation, Strickler sent Jim to his desk and brought Lin into the hall. 

“So, do you think this will work out for you?” Clicking his pen as he posed his question. 

“I’m gonna do it, I want to audition for the play” She admitted, much quieter than before. Talking to an adult who was like an emotionally distant uncle to you was much different than a like minded awkward teen.

“Splendid! I’ll bring the forms to you tonight to go over and we can sort it out then, for now I trust you to get home alright.” 

“You got it old man!”   
Getting off lucky with only an eye roll from the not-so-happy-about-being-called-that old man, Lin made her way back to the Janus Order.   
Making a point to take the scenic route, being in no rush to get the canary back in the cage. 

Ending up on her classic overlook, she sat on a nearby bench to think over her day. 

“No Music tonight?” 

Throwing her arms up to express her innocence, “Sorry don’t have my fiddle” She didn’t have to turn around to gage who it was. No one else had a voice as intimidating. 

“Please tell me you didn’t accept Stricklander’s ridiculous offer” Walking towards her as far as the shade would allow, Bular sat on his haunches and waited for the answer to the question. An answer he dreaded to hear. 

“Well, I did, and it was my choice.” 

“It’s not safe for you to be on the surface all the time”

“What’s going to hurt me out here!?” 

“You don’t even know. “ 

“Then tell me! I’m well aware there’s a group of man-eating trolls trying to break free, Bular! I’m aware you’re one of them! What could be worse than that!”   
He stared at her, expression hidden under his stoic ruse.   
“Do you think I’m an idiot? I have been expecting to die when you guys succeed since I comprehended your world! I’d like to do something with my life before that happens.”

While not sure what to make of the situation. Bular made the right choice in his mind, and left. He’d never thought much of the girl, despite being disgruntled that Strickler had decided to keep her alive. It wasn’t his responsibility that her changeling parents disappeared. Ten to thirteen impures left without a word every few years, and with no colleagues saying anything, not much could be done.   
So discovering families with mysterious disappearances wasn’t new to the Janus Order.  
It was however new to the Arcadia Branch. For a group dedicated to planning for the future, they had taken many oversights in her life.   
Including her relationship with their goals. How cruel to have her be cared for by the same creatures who'd turn her to ribbons the minute they won? 

That cruelty could turn to rebellion, a want for independence, and distance from their problems. 

Not unlike a teenager running through sewer tunnels to feel happy once in her life. 

…   
Lin walked the shortest route she could to Strickler's house. Don’t cry, Lin you’re in public, people are gonna notice.   
Having spent the first year under changeling watch in this very house, at least until it became too suspicious for Walt to have a kid around the house all of a sudden, she knew where he kept the key. 

Leaving a note on the antique side table that she would be sleeping in the guest room, she walked into the immaculately made room, kicked off her shoes, and tried to sleep. Tried being the stressed word. Not even a few minutes of rest mercifully came to her that night. 

The next morning, she left the room early hoping to avoid- 

“I was wondering when you’d wake up,” Strickler was making coffee in the kitchen, somehow already dressed for work. “Although from your state, you didn’t sleep at all” 

“Thanks captain obvious, where are the papers we needed to go through”   
Not one to accept any concern for her wellbeing, Lin was quick to brush the topic to something objective. Right or wrong, left or right, no sappy stuff. 

“That's been taken care of, you start next monday.” 

“Sweet, do I have a schedule? Or timetable? What's it called?” Making all the hand gestures that went along with trying to figure out a particular word that you just can’t think of, she gave up. 

“Either or works, and you’ll get that the morning of, we’ll go in early to show you where the classes are. Oh, about auditions, they're this afternoon, but ms janeth is willing to take yours, since they are fairly in need of actors this year. Drama cuts and all that” 

“Ok, well I’m gonna head out for the day, anything else I should know?” 

“Bular was quite miffed about your little spat, I’m not saying avoid him, but do be careful.”

Of course he told him. Why? Who knew why Bular told anyone anything. Just her luck, he was probably saying these were her last days. Well. Just make the most of it. 

…

Heading into Arcadia's small but vibrant downtown area, filled with dated electronics stores, family run restaurants and dated antique shops that were incredibly haunted. 

Setting off the pleasant chime of a bell when entering, Lin headed to the back desk at ‘Area artifacts’ one of the only antique places not run by grandmothers. But in fact a college aged punk who’d fight right inside any 2000’s scene/emo catalogue. 

Douxie, who stuck out from the aging memorabilia surrounding him like a macaw flocked by pigeons, greeted her. 

“Need any assistance? Or are you here for more musical advice?” he asked amicably. 

Archie, his cat, hopped up onto the counter next to him, not being a cat for physical affection Lin simply waved at the feline before answering. 

“Do you still have those old theatre monologue books?” 

“Sure do!” Grabbing a key from the rack behind him, he unlocked the section holding all of the store's literature. Lin wasn’t sure why it was so necessary to protect books that no one had read for 200 years but she wouldn’t judge. It’s not like they were spell books, or at least, most of them weren’t. 

“Unfortunately other drama kids got first pickings, so we only have one, sorry mate.” 

“That’s ok, how much?” Lin made an attempt to grab her wallet from her bag, but the benevolent shopkeeper halted her. 

“We want to get rid of these, and for being such a good friend, it's on the house” 

“I gotta repay this somehow, c’mon Doux, let people be nice to you.” 

“How about you grace us with theatre practice? We gotta close early today anyways.”

“Well I only got until this afternoon, so sounds good!”   
Despite only meeting irregularly for musical advice or the occasional shopping for antiques, they were quite close. Both punk-aligned teens/young adults doing their best.   
And for the couple hours she was there, failing to memorize old timey words and expressions, she felt home.   
…   
“Thank you all for your auditions! You’ll know if you got a part this monday” Ms Janeth let the students pour out from the auditorium/gym and went to go create the cast list for arcadia oak highs “romeo and juliet” 

“Lin! Glad to see you here, I guess you decided high school is worth a shot?” 

“Claire right?” After receiving a nod from the girl Lin perked up, “yeah! Jim told me about it, but by the looks of his audition he didn't know he was going to be here.” 

“Well he was very good at it, somehow. Oh shoot! My parents are here, see ya Lin,”   
Claire ran off towards the car that had just pulled up in the parking lot.   
Waving goodbye, Lin continued her path towards the Arcadia travel agency, blatantly not giving any notice to the yellow-orange eyes glaring from the thick undergrowth in the woods.


End file.
